


Presence

by Infy



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dirty Talk, F/F, No Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-27 06:19:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20403079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Infy/pseuds/Infy
Summary: Seteth sets his quill pen down and rolls up the parchment on which he was scribbling notes. He stands, glancing out his window at the monastery and the Academy. Clearly he doesn't feel like having this conversation either.Eventually he glances sidelong in our direction. "You are aware of the Knights' very strict non-fraternization policy, yes?"





	Presence

A knock at the door. A shuffle of papers on his desk. "Who is it," he mutters, barely loudly enough for anyone to hear. I'm rather surprised he doesn't say anything to me given his penchant for nagging, but no. I stand in the background, biding my time. A second knock. 

"Yes, who's there?" He repeats again, louder this time. The door opens just a bit, barely a crack.

"It's me. Flayn said you wanted to talk." I'd be a liar if I say I'm not a little curious as to what's about to be said--we'd received orders for the week already, so unless our mission is changing, this is about something entirely different. Bidden inside, my partner takes a seat in front of Seteth's desk, crossing her legs, crossing her arms… it's clear she wants to be here about as much as I do. "I'm not too sure what this is about…" she mumbles, half-glancing to the darker corner of the room; she knows exactly where I am. I use the opportunity to step forward, just a bit. 

I don't have much of a presence, but when I do, I suppose it's comforting to some people. Catherine gives me a shaky "hey". I say it back. She's nervous… but I think only I can tell. 

"You've corralled me here for fifteen minutes." I say flatly. "I assume now that she's here you're going to tell me why." I don't realize I'm scowling until he tells me to put the glare away, but I've got things to do far more important than this. The glare stays. 

"You'll be 'corralled' here until I have the answers I'm looking for." His reply was instant, matter-of-fact. It would almost have been impressive under different circumstances. "I've been made aware of some very troubling activity among the Knights of Seiros, and I would like to see if you two could enlighten me." He casts a knowing look in our direction.

No response from either of us. I have a hunch, and judging by the light dusting of pink coloring her cheeks, Catherine does too. She's a horrible liar, and her poker face is terrible… yeah, this isn't going to end well. 

"I am sure you're aware of the clauses in your contract with the Knights--"

I take an exasperated breath. "I couldn't read Fódlanese when I signed it, so no. I'm not." Catherine looks over at me and silently urges me not to cross him. I shut my mouth, if only because my partner is looking like she's going to be sick. 

"That may well be, but I do vividly recall explaining to you, in Dagdan, the nature of your employment here at the monastery and within the Knights." He pauses only a brief moment before continuing his lecture. "Our Order demands proper values be adhered to, as you are setting an example for the students on how they are expected to behave." 

Catherine manages to speak. "Can you just cut to the chase? This whole meeting-out-of-nowhere thing is really… uncomfortable." Seteth sets his quill pen down and rolls up the parchment on which he was scribbling notes. He stands, glancing out his window at the monastery and the Academy. The townsfolk of Garreg Mach ambled below, unaware of his piercing, burning gaze. I can see his eyes narrow in the reflection on the glass. Clearly he doesn't feel like having this conversation either. 

Eventually he glances sidelong in our direction. "You are aware of the Knights' very strict non-fraternization policy, yes?"

… Great. I glance over. Catherine is about the same color as the last couple strawberries from Seteth's lunch still sitting in the bowl on his desk. He didn't even finish--looks like this was too pressing, or something. I tap my partner with the back of my hand while Seteth looks out the window, and her eyes meet mine.  _ Just calm down,  _ I tell her in my head,  _ and let me handle this. _ I thought for sure having just a tiny moment would give her her bearings, but the blush just gets deeper. Ugh, why me…?

He turns away from the window to face us. "I asked you both a question."

"Yes, and we heard you." I stare directly into his eyes. His pupils dart around the room like a bird's, either checking for spies or a very active attempt to avoid my gaze. Chances are it's the latter. "Why do you bring it up?"

"The nature of your partnership is none of my business--"

I stand. "Good, then we're at an understanding. Come on, Catherine." I snatch her wrist to try and pull her from her chair; she's tense, still as a statue, and I can tell she's going to be of no help here. 

"Not so fast." Seteth turns to face us. "You are also adults in the company of children." He takes a breath. "Need I remind you that you have at the very least five years on even our newest professor…?"

"That sounds like a problem with your interview process, and nothing that has to do with us." I shoot back. Catherine looks at me and hesitantly whispers my name to calm me down. This pompous fucker in his stupid tiara…I take a deep breath. "I appreciate people who get to the point." 

"The point…" He sighs. I can tell he'd practiced his next sentence a few times before calling us in. "I am aware of a sexual relationship between the two of you, and I am putting an end to it."

Out of morbid curiosity, I glance over at Catherine, somehow redder than before. I don't think I've ever seen her this flustered before. It'd be cute were we anywhere else. "I… we-- buh… but-- we're-- we don't--" she stammers, not realizing she's giving more and more away with every word. Okay, please shut up now... 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I reply simply, stone-faced, and Catherine goes silent and gives a half-hearted nod. 

"But you do," Seteth turns to face me. "And you two carrying on in the way you've been puts every knight here at risk."

"And how do you know about this, if it even is happening?" I scowl.

"I've been hearing rumors…" Seteth begins. Catherine feels bold enough to speak at this point, though her voice projects the exact opposite of her usual confidence. 

"I mean... people say things all the time. That doesn't--"

"How familiar are you with the tack room in the stables? The dishroom in the dining hall? Very, from the reports I've been hearing."

Everyone goes silent. My cheeks get warm and I stare at my hands.

"And most importantly, how familiar are you with the fact that my quarters are directly bordering yours, Catherine?"

Well… can't argue with that. Catherine immediately stands and pushes in her chair. "E-excuse me, guys, I think I'm gonna be sick." Before Seteth could protest, the door shut behind her. I wish it were always that easy.

"Judging by the look on her face, I would say I've hit the nail on the head."

Looks like this is happening. "And if you have?" I shoot back.

"Harboring those kinds of emotions in a battle--"

"--Is my business, not yours." I glare daggers at him, and he tenses. "I can handle myself."

Seteth's eyes narrow. "You say that now, Shamir. But what if you're tasked with choosing between your partner and a student? Or your partner and Lady Rhea?"

"You need to understand something about me, Seteth." He still stares at me coolly underneath a twitching brow, and he nods. "I have been a mercenary since I was ten. I've both killed and saved more people than you've looked in the eye." He inhales. I continue. 

"My ability to do that doesn't hinge upon whether or not I'm  _ fucking  _ my partner." 

I can tell he cringed in his head at my language just now. It gives me a small twinge of satisfaction--the same one you'd get sniping a soldier who has no idea where you are, and he's dead before he hits the ground. "Well…" Seteth clears his throat, willing away the pink hue kissing his cheeks. "I would… strongly suggest--"

I can't help but laugh a little. "Strongly suggest we stop? Why's that?" I have the upper hand now. Let's raise the stakes. A smirk creeps onto my face and I don't notice it's there until he points it out. "Is it that you're… jealous?"

His face goes a deeper red. "N-not in the least, I--"

I'm probably fired anyway. Might as well burn the bridge. "It's Catherine, isn't it?" I probe, and he turns his head slightly. "Mm, I see. You want her, don't you, Seteth? And you apparently hear us every night, I can't imagine the thought hasn't crossed your mind." He can't manage to speak, so I just do it for him. "You see that body every day and you think to yourself, 'Goddess above, if only I could put my hands on those hips or feel those breasts. If only she gave me the chance, I'd fuck her til she screamed my name.' Is that it?"

"Shamir, this is incredibly unprofessio--"

"I'll tell you, Seteth, but just you. She's a demon in bed, but you probably knew that. Perfect ass, perfect breasts, soft skin, softer than you'd think… and those hands, the way she'd caress you… those fingers… you get the idea."

Seteth picks up a strawberry and nibbles on it, and it's clear that he's on autopilot. The look on his face says it all. He can't manage to stop looking out the window, and I can see his eye twitch again in his reflection. 

"Unless it's me." He immediately whips his head to look in my direction with a furrowed brow. I have no qualms about any of this, for some reason. " _ Is _ it me? You're desperate for some foreign pussy, is that it?" His eyes widen and his blush deepens. Am I going too far? Probably. But here we are, so I continue anyway. "Catherine gets it. They grow them better over in Dagda. What about you? Desperate to see what's under the jacket?" I flip my lapel slightly, just barely enough to show my shoulder. "I've been told I'm pretty damn good, for what it's worth. What a shame for you, isn't it?"

Seteth glares in the opposite direction-- he can't even manage to look at me. Even with a knife to my throat I couldn't begin to explain why this is turning me on so much. I'd have stopped a few sentences ago, but that look on his face, and what Catherine would say and do if she heard…

Yeah. Let's keep pushing. 

"No, no… that's not right either. I bet it's  _ us. _ " I pause for effect, and Seteth swallows thickly. "You think about us together and you want in. It aches, I bet, thinking about us together… no clothes, touching and kissing each other in places and in ways that you only have ever thought about in your wildest fantasies." I step forward. His jaw locks and he closes his eyes, trying to block me out, but I lean over his desk to make sure that he can't. "We're dripping wet for each other, bodies tangled… does the idea get you  _ hard _ , Seteth…?"

Seteth clears his throat and manages to speak a couple words. "Now, listen, I…"

"No, Seteth,  _ you _ listen." I hiss, narrowing my eyes in a scowl. "You're free to tell me who to kill, where to kill them, and why. But I give my body to whomever I damn well please."

He takes a deep breath, grabbing the final strawberry. "... You're excused." He mutters, his voice breaking, defeated. I pause for a moment, not realizing my temperature or how clammy my hands had gotten until then. I was sure there would be more admonishing or a "you're fired" somewhere in there. I cough lightly to fill the dead air, then when I realize that was all he had to say, I straighten my jacket and open the door to leave. 

"Shamir," he calls back after me. 

"Yes?"

"No part of this conversation happened. Is that clear?"

I glance back at him. No response. All I do is smile on my way out. 

***

I step outside the staircase leading to the first floor and the monastery grounds, and Catherine is there, twiddling her thumbs.

"Get sick?" I ask, and the simplicity of the question catches her off-guard.

"Uhh... No. I just... had to get out of there. Thanks for the assist," she sighs, clapping my shoulder with her hand. The touch gets a small smile out of me. "So," she continues. "Are we fired?"

"No, I smoothed things over."

Catherine lets a relieved puff of air pass her lips, the first time I think she's actually breathed since Flayn mentioned Seteth needing to speak to her. "So we're good then," she says with a smile, a glint of her usual bravado returning.

"Mm, for the most part."

"... For the most part?"

I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear and start to amble over towards the knights' barracks. Catherine hesitantly follows. "Let's just... go to  _ my _ quarters this time." 


End file.
